Forsyth Students Showcase "Green" Titanic Model

Students who were in Greg Walkup's (2011/12) third grade class at have much to be happy about.

Their "green" model of the Titanic is currently on displayed at the 'Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition' at the Premier Exhibition Center located at Atlantic Station.

The idea came about due to a project the school was doing where students would create a museum with an ocean theme, according to Walkup, a teacher now at the new Kelly Mill Elementary School.

Walkup said students in specific grade levels and classes were responsible for coming up with an exhibit for the museum and that his class wanted to become involved. After having several brainstorming sessions, his students decided to construct a replica of the Titanic using recycled materials from Walkup's classroom and the school cafeteria. In addition to constructing the model, they also had to learn about the history of the doomed ship.

Walkup split the classroom into two teams, one to handle construction of the model and the other team to do research on a specific person that was on the ship.

"Whether it was a crew member, someone that was actually a passenger on it," he said.

When it came time for the presentation of the school museum, the research team had to dress up as the person they studied and talk about who they were suppose to be as people came through the museum.

Walkup said the assignment was based upon project-based learning.

"It's literally where you give kids ownership of their learning and you make it authentic for them," he said.

As for the model ship, which ended up being about 10-feet long, it made its way to the 'Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition' through the work of the students contacting the people involved with that exhibit, along with grassroots campaigning via a Facebook page and through tweets on Twitter.

The Titanic model can be seen through Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Premier Exhibition Center. For ticket information go online.

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